And your bird can sing
by AkaWarai
Summary: When Sanosuke hints that he has a new, temporary job but refuses to tell the Himuras what it is, Kaoru and Kenshin investigate.


"Kenshin! Do you think you could go ahead and get dinner started?" A sweaty Kaoru called from the hall. After a busy training session with Yahiko, she was starving.

"Yes, Kaoru-dono." The red-haired Rurouni called back as he walked into the kitchen. He was actually starting to feel a little hungry himself, and he was positive that his freeloading friend, Sanosuke, was feeling the same. He immediately began chopping up an eggplant.

"Aww…Kenshin, you really don't have to do that." _Speak of the devil, it's Sano. _Kenshin merely started chopping with a new speed and ferocity. "Kenshin, it's alright, how 'bout we just go out to eat?" Sano said as he sat down on a wooden chair behind Kenshin.

"Sano, Kaoru-dono said we can't afford to go out to eat with four people right now." Kenshin patiently answered, now starting up on the tofu.

"Whoever said you'd be paying?" Sano answered back with a grin. "I'll pay, don't worry about it. But I'm not getting Yahiko a thing. He can pay for himself."

"ORO?! Did u finally get a job Sano?!" Kenshin said with such surprise that he nicked his finger on the blade. He put the offending digit in his mouth and turned to face Sano.

"Kinda." Sano said with a smirk. "Don't worry; it's nothing illegal, I promise."

"Alright…" Kenshin said around the finger, with a hint of suspicion still playing around in his eyes. "Let me go tell Kaoru-dono."

Sano sat back in the chair while Kenshin hustled off to tell Kaoru of their new dinner plans. He counted down in his head, _five…four…three…two…_

"SANOSUKE GOT A JOB?!" _crap, I was a second early._

A rather disheveled Kaoru ran into the kitchen. "What are you doing for work?!"

"That's none of your business, Jo-chan; now please go put some proper clothes on." He added on. Kaoru whacked him over the head with Kenshin's tofu bucket before stalking back to her room to finish changing out of her gi.

XXXXX

Thirty minutes later, Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko were all standing outside the Akabeko waiting to be seated. After some head-gnawing persuasion from Yahiko, Sano had changed his mind about paying for him.

"That hurt you little punk!" Sano growled towards Yahiko.

Sano had busied himself with ruining Yahiko's scalp with his knuckles, so Kaoru took the opportunity by the horns. She looped her arm into Kenshin's innocently.

"Something the matter Kaoru-dono?"

"There is no way, NO WAY that Sano legally got the money to take us out to eat." She hissed vehemently into Kenshin's ear.

"This one feels the same, Kaoru-dono, that he does, but what do you want this one to do about it?"

XXXXX

_I can't believe I'm doing this…_Kenshin thought to himself as he poured another generous measure of sake for Sano. Kaoru had gone off to chat with Tae, and Yahiko had also disappeared with Tsubame, leaving Kenshin to get Sano drunk alone.

"And so I _hic _says ta 'im!" Sano began as Kenshin spilled yet another cup of sake onto his lap, making it simultaneously appear that he was downing as much sake as Sano and wetting himself. _It's a great thing this table's here. _Kenshin couldn't help but graciously think. Kenshin had long since drowned out Sano's slurred, alcohol-fueled ramblings and was busy trying to ring the sake out of his hakama. _Never again, Kaoru-dono, NEVER AGAIN! _

Now that Sano looked too close to passing out for comfort, Kenshin popped the question. "So Sano, how did you get the money to pay for all this?"

"Swear not to tell Kaoru or Yahiko?" Sano's slur rivaled that of an inexperienced flautist.

"Sure, Sano!" Kenshin lied brightly, gently patting his intoxicated friend.

"Well, ya see…"

XXXXX

Kenshin and Kaoru stood outside the _The Empty Rice Bowl Pub _that Sano had given Kenshin the address for.

"This doesn't surprise me at all, Kenshin."

"This one feels the same."

"But what would he be doing?"

"This one is almost afraid to know, that he is."

XXXXX

Kenshin and Kaoru had taken a seat in the back of the bar. It was small, dark, and smelled distinctly of motor oil. The seat they had been squished together on by the over-serious bartender was made of an old rough material, and some springs were poking out. Kenshin scooted over so that his legs were spilling out into the aisle. _Might as well give Kaoru-dono more room, I need to keep looking around. _Kenshin's violet eyes darted around the vicinity, but there was no sign of his rooster-head friend.

Then he caught sight of it. A flashy, gaudy sign hanging from the ceiling: "Karaoke Week! Seven Different Contests! Seven Hundred Dollars A Night! Seven Different Bonus Prizes!" _Oh god no… Sano, please don't do this to me… _Kenshin could already feel the laughter bubbling up inside of him like mentos in coke.

"Kenshin! I found Sano!" Kaoru whispered to him, obviously hiding a snicker in her voice. Sanosuke Sagara had just taken center stage. He cleared his voice and picked up the microphone. "Kenshin, don't let him see us" Kaoru hissed as she yanked his long red hair down. He held his head in pain for a moment, trying to suppress a nice, long "oro." He looked up at the stage from underneath the filthy table. He cocked his head, avoiding getting bubblegum in his hair as he looked up at his plucky friend on stage. Suddenly a very familiar guitar riff came over the stereo-system. Kenshin hit his head on the table in surprise, earning a glare from Kaoru.

_No…SANO! Anything but this! Sanosuke Sagara, you are NOT Steven Tyler!_

Sano had just gotten past the final chorus of "Amazing" when a chaotic ruckus could be heard from underneath table 6.

Sano hopped off the stage and grabbed a broomstick. He and the manager stalked over to the table cautiously and kicked it out of the way. After all, you never know what could be lurking under the table of a British-style pub. The sight gave Sano was greeted with gave him immensely mixed feelings: the want to laugh and the need to kick something. Kenshin and Kaoru were holding onto each other for dear life. At first, the tears and noises could have easily been mistaken for tears of sadness, but then he looked at the way they were tucked into each other, and noticed they were laughing so hard they could barely breathe.

Sano satisfied his need and picked the near-hysterical couple up and literally kicked them out the back door. This only fueled the fire; despite the pain of their rough landing, their laughter had just grown even fiercer and their cackles could be heard from inside the pub.

"And to announce the winners! In a mere third place, the hero of last night, Sanosuke Sagara! And his prize, twenty-two dollars!"

_Oooooooooh…there is going to be heck at Kamiya Dojo tonight! _


End file.
